Two influential creators join forces across time and space! Best known for the monumental Fist of the North Star, artist Tetsuo Hara has adapted a historical fiction novel written by Keiichiro Ryu, together with Mio Aso: The Magnificent Bastard: The Legend of Keiji, Vol. 1. Kodansha will publish a hardcover English edition of the book in December and today, The Beat has an exclusive preview.
The series is based on the real life of Sengoku-era samurai lord Maeda Toshimasu, AKA Maeda Keiji. It also follows a well-known kabukimono—a gang formed by samurai, who had no regard for the official dress codes of their time, adopting pieces of non-traditional clothing and weaponry from Japan and other countries. Sounds like a magnificent fellow, indeed!
Here’s the official synopsis:
Tall, handsome, and deadly, Keiji revels in his own taste of beauty, whether it be slaying men on the battlefield or carousing with courtesans in the pleasure district. But in an era when might and ruthless politics reign, staying true to oneself—while staying alive—is no easy feat.
As feudal lords vie for supremacy, Keiji’s House prepares for a clash with the powerful Hojo Clan. When a team of scouts is dispatched to procure wild horses for the House’s army, they are attacked by a creature unlike any they have ever seen. Tasked with slaying this beast, Keiji sets out to tame it instead. Once the Hojo and their ninja master catch wind of this expedition, however, Keiji will have more than a wild beast to break…
Check out interior art from The Magnificent Bastard: The Legend of Keiji, Vol. 1 below.
The Magnificent Bastard: The Legend of Keiji, Vol. 1 will be available digitally and at your local comic shop on December 9. Pre-orders are available now.
